Our second week in England was spent with T's family in the pretty village of Parkgate on the Wirral Peninsular.
We drove to nearby Manchester, going to The Lowry in Salford Quays. A theatre as well as a gallery, we went to view the impressive collection of Lowry's paintings (the largest public collection of Lowry's paintings in the world). We were less taken with the temporary exhibition on in an adjoining space by other artists: ExtraORDINARY, which included a biscuit with a bite out of it, and an egg.
Yes; one signed egg.
I really am not a huge fan of the majority of contemporary art.
But I could very much appreciate Lowry's works at least!
Yes; one signed egg.
I really am not a huge fan of the majority of contemporary art.
But I could very much appreciate Lowry's works at least!
Suffering greatly from a bad cold which started as soon as I left my parents, the walk around the quays was a struggle, as all I wanted was a nice comfy bed - hence the limited photos. It was interesting to see the relatively new Media City, home to the two major UK terrestrial TV channels: the BBC and ITV.
The following day we drove to Crosby, the permanent home of the sculpture, Another Place, by Anthony Gormley.
Consisting of 100 cast iron sculptures of the artist's own body positioned for 2 miles along the beach all facing the sea, it was not at all what we were expecting.
Consisting of 100 cast iron sculptures of the artist's own body positioned for 2 miles along the beach all facing the sea, it was not at all what we were expecting.
Although I don't think we weren't that sure what we were actually expecting.
The figures are positioned to be submerged and revealed by the ebbs and flows of the tide, and when we were there the tide was out, so we didn't get to see this feature at its optimum. Another day of wishing was back in bed, I didn't really get the point of this, maybe on a better day I would have the energy to feel inspired.
Or maybe it was me just not getting this modern art thing. Give me a painting by someone such as Turner any day!
The figures are positioned to be submerged and revealed by the ebbs and flows of the tide, and when we were there the tide was out, so we didn't get to see this feature at its optimum. Another day of wishing was back in bed, I didn't really get the point of this, maybe on a better day I would have the energy to feel inspired.
Or maybe it was me just not getting this modern art thing. Give me a painting by someone such as Turner any day!
The sun showed itself again at the end of the week, and we took a walk along the Wirral Way, a coastal path running along the disused Birkenhead railway line.
Powered by delicious Parkgate ice cream, and the appearance of the sun, we ended up walking to the next village of Heswall - a 2 hour walk rather than our initial plan for something not much more than a potter.
Looking over the marsh to Wales, it was another aspect of the beautiful British landscape.
Looking over the marsh to Wales, it was another aspect of the beautiful British landscape.